Dredge



Jui 10, 1923. 1,461,249

B. O. GODFREY DREDQE Filed 001;. 24. 1922 Inven to Patent July 10, 1923.

Application filed October 24, 1922. Serial No. 596,547.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT O. Gonrnnr, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington,

have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in dredges of the type which Wlll bore 1nto the material, such as mud, sand, gravel and the like, upon the bottom of a body of water, and which will hit th s, together with any mineral deposits associated therewith to a suitable point where it can be acted upon by a concentrator or other proper apparatus.

M invention is particularly intended for use 1n dredging for gold along river banks or along the shore of the sea where gold deposits occur. i

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple and compact arrangement whereby a force pump connected to two conduits may be operated at will, elther as a borer or as a means for raising the gangue.

A further object is the construction of a very simple device of this character, and one which is cheap to construct.

A further object is the provision of means in such a dredge whereby the current which forms the suction lift may be reversed to accomplish the boring or d1 ging.

My invention comprises t ose novel parts and combinations thereof which are shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification, and particularly defined by the claims terminating the same.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention in forms which are now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is a sectional illustration of a sim 1e form of my device.

1' igure 2 is a similar section of a slightly modified form.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of and 7. One of these conduits, as the conduit 4, serves as a lift pipe through which the gangue and water is raised to a discharge outlet 41. The other conduit 7 terminates at its lower end adjacent the lower end of the conduit 4 to form a suction jet .6 by means of which a suction upwardly in the conduit 4 is created, as is well understood, and through which the gangue enters the conduit 4. Suitable valves or other means are rovided for re lating the flow in the con uits and the irectionthereof. To this end I have shown two valves 2 and 3.

The valve 2, in the form shown in Figure 1, serves merely to regulate the amount of water permitted to pass through the conduit 71, forming an extension of the conduit 7, to connect it with the pump 1. The

valve 3 in this form serves either to open a passageway through the conduit/l to the discharge end 41, or to close off this passageway. In the form shown in Figure 2 the valve 2' connectsthe pump 1 either with the extension conduit 71 or to a by-pass 31 connecting the pump with the upper end of the conduit 4. In this form the valve .3 serves either to open the passageway through the conduit 4 to the discharge end 41, or afiords counication between the by-pass 31 and the lower portion of the conduit a.

I have shown the conduits d and 7 as nested, the conduit 4 within the conduit 7, and I have shown a chamber ?0 at the upper end of the conduit 7. These are mere matters or design, and although the design is my preferred one on account of its compactness and simplicity, yet it is within the scope of my invention to de art therefrom, and yet to remain within t e scope of the appended claims. I have also shown the device as supported by means of a ball and socket joint, the ball 8 surroundin the conduit 7 and the conduit being slida le therein, and the ball being received in a socket '85 carried by the barge 5. This, while a convenient arrangement, is a matter of desi only, and if desired the dredge may be ot erwise supported.

The iet 6 may be of any suitable construction. have s own a head 61which is attached to the lower end of the conduit 'l' 4, leaving a space 62 between the end of the head 6 and the end of the conduit 4. Lugs 63 formed upon the head 61 engage the outside of the conduit 4 and space the head from the conduit 4 to properly position the head. This, it will be noted, leaves a central opening through the head 61 through which the gangue is drawn in. i

Referring now to the form shown in F1gur 1 and assuming that the pump 1 is in operation and that the valve 3 is turned in such manner as to leave the passageway through the conduit 4 open to its discharge end 41, and that the valve 2is 0 en, water will .be supplied through the inta e pipe 10, the pump 1, the passage 71, the conduit 7 and thence upward past the suction jet 6, through the conduit 4 and out at the dis charge end 41. This creates a suction through the jet 6 as is well understood, and any loose material will be drawn upward therethrough and will be delivered as gangue at the discharge end 41.

Assuming, however, that it is desired to bore or dig with the device, or to loosen more material from the bottom, the valve 3 is then turned to obstruct the conduit 4 and to close it off from its discharge end 41. Water now passes as before through the ump 1 and the conduit 7, but as the con- 7 Hit 4 has been filled with water, it is repelled therefrom, and after passing the head 61 it is eapelled'throughthe suction jet in the reverse direction to that in which the gangue is drawn u This force, acting on the bottom, will stir up and loosen the material and thereafter the same may be withdrawn in the manner first described.

' Referring to the form shown in Figure 2, and assuming that parts are in the positions shown in full lines and that the pump 1 is o crating, water will pass as shown by the in line arrows, through the intake pipe 10, the pum 1, the passage 71, the conduit 7, past the ead 61 and suction 'et 6 and thence upward through the conduit 4 to its discharge end 41. Gangue is drawn up through the suction jet 6 as before. '10 operate the device for digging or boring, however, the positions of the valves 2' and 3' are reversed to the positions shown in dotted lines. flow now takes place in the direction oi the dotted arrows, through the intake pipe 10, the pump 1, the by-pass 31, downward through the conduit 4 and thence out through the suction jet 6, the conduit 7 being filled with water. This causes the jet emerging at 6 to stir up and loosen the material on the bottom as in the former case.

It will be noted in both instances that the action of the device as a digger or borer is dependent upon the filling of one conduit and consequent repulsion of any further water, causing the eject1on of the surplus water through the jet 6. Its action as a menace pump or dredge is caused by a movement of water past the jet 6 and out otherwise than the force pifinp 1 serves merely as a con venient source of water under pressure, it may be omitted when desired, and the intake pipe 10 will then be connected to some other suitable sourceof water under pressure, as, forinstance, an elevated reservoir, this bein the full equivalent of my pump.

What claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, a force pump and two conduits open at their lower ends, one of said conduits being connected to the pump, and terminating at its lower end in an annular suction jet directed upwardl within the lower end of the second con uit and means whereby water from said pump may be directed upwardly through said jet and the second conduit, or downwardly through the lower end of the first conduit, at will.

2. In combination, a force pump and two conduits, one of said conduits being connected to the pump, and terminating within the lower end of the second conduit to form an annular, upwardly-directed suction jet, and a valve movable to close said second conduit to expel water through the opening in said suction jet.

3. Incombination, a force pump and two conduits open at their lower ends, one of said conduits being connected to the pump, and terminating at its lower end in an annular suction jet directed upwardly within the lower end of the second conduit, a valve for controlling the flow throughsaid first conduit, and a second valve for directing the fiow of water upwardly through the second conduit or downwardly through the open end of the first conduits, at will.

4. In combination, a force pump and two conduits open at their lower ends, one of said conduits being connected to the pump, and terminating at its lower end in an annuiar suction jet directed upwardly within the lower end of the second conduit, a bypass connecting said second conduit with the pump, and valvesmovable to direct the current upwardly through the second conduit to its upper end, or downwardly therethrough and through the open end of the jet.

5. In combination, a force pump and two conduits 0 en' at their lower ends, one of said conduits being connected to the pump, and terminating at its lower end in an annular suction jet directed upwardly withinv the lower end of the second conduit, a bypass connecting said second conduit with the pump, a valve at the junction of said by-pass and second conduit movable to close ofi'- selectively either the upper discharge end of said second conduit or the by-pass,

menace and a second valve movable selectively to connect said pump either with the by-pass or with the first conduit.

6. In combination, a force pump and two nested conduits, open at their lower ends, the outer conduit being directly connected to the pump, and being turned inwardly and upwardl at its lower end to form a suction jet 'rected upwardly within the lower end of the inner conduit, said inner conduit leading upward to a discharge outlet, a by-pass connecting said inner conduit with the pump, a valve adapted to close either said by-pass or said inner conduit, and a second valve movable to direct water either through said by-pass or through said outer conduit.

7 In combination with a suction jet, a force pump and a pair of conduits connectin said pump and'the suction jet, one of said conduits normally servin to supply water to operate said suction et, and the other conduit normally serving to lift material raised by said suction jet to its discharge end, and means for directing water from said first conduit outwardly through said suction jet.

8. In combination with a source of water under pressure, two conduits, one thereof being connected to the pressure source, and terminating within the lower end of the second conduit to form an upwardly directed suction jet, and means 0 erable to close said second conduit to expe water through said jet.

Signed at Seattle, King County, Washington this 14th day of October, 1922.

BERT 0. GODFREY. 

